A Shepparton man with a ‘‘shocking’’ driving record will spend six months in jail, missing the birth of his child.

Michael Peter Gordon, 32, of Greybox Way, Kialla pleaded guilty at Shepparton Magistrates’ Court yesterday to refusing a preliminary breath test and driving in breach of an alcohol interlock condition on his licence.

The condition was imposed because of a previous drink-driving offence.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Tony O’Bryan told the court when Gordon was ejected from the Goulburn Valley Hotel after midnight on July 6 last year and immediately staggered to a car and drove off, security staff called police.

Gordon was intercepted on Wilmot Rd and returned a positive roadside test, but refused to accompany police for a further test.

The guilty plea to both charges also triggered a three-month suspended sentence.

Lawyer Marshall Richards argued Magistrate Simon Garnett should not go beyond the three months if he decided to impose a jail term, so Gordon could be out in time for the birth of his child.

Mr Garnett said he did not accept exceptional circumstances existed and he reimposed the three-month sentence.

He also ordered Gordon serve a further three months for driving without an alcohol interlock.

For refusing a breath test, he was fined $2000 and disqualified from driving for five years.

Mr Garnett pointed to 17 pages of prior convictions dating back to 1997 for drink-driving, driving while suspended, driving unregistered vehicles and breaching court orders for an alcohol interlock.